Safety
Whether it’s a 400-pound boar with five-inch tusks or an enraged sow defending her litter, feral hogs are formidable and have been known to attack human beings. Perhaps the greater risk, though, is that of contracting a disease from an infected hog. People can catch undulant fever from feral hogs infected with swine brucellosis. While this disease has not been found in feral hogs in Missouri, it has been found in ten nearby states. Humans become infected with the disease when they handle the tissues of diseased pigs.
Feral hogs have excellent senses of smell and hearing and normally avoid contact with humans. There are occasions of hogs chasing hunters up trees, but these are rare, isolated instances. The vast majority of hogs flee from humans. However, should you find yourself nose-to-snout with an angry pig, the best defense is to climb the nearest tree. If the pig charges, sidestep quickly, taking care to avoid the swing of its tusks and promptly find a tree to scamper up.
If you harvest a feral hog, you may keep the meat or give it to someone else. Wear plastic or rubber gloves while dressing feral hogs and bury the offal to prevent the spread of disease. Do not feed raw meat or organs to pets or livestock. As with all pork, cook the meat thoroughly before you eat it.
To help biologists monitor diseases, consider collecting a blood sample of any feral hog you kill. Gather a small amount of blood in a clean container and mail it to the address below. Be sure to clearly label the sample with your name, address, phone number, and the date and location of the kill.
Missouri Department of Agriculture Animal Health Laboratory
216 El Mercado Plaza
P.O. Box 630
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0630
If you want to do it yourself, blood test kits can also be obtained free of charge by calling Wildlife Services at (573) 449-3033 ext. 13.
